Democratic Reps Question How to Best Protect Data Breach Victims in Letter to GAO

After a data breach exposes sensitive information, agencies usually offer victims credit monitoring as a catch-all solution to prevent fraud. But a group of lawmakers isn't convinced that strategy always gets the job done. “We are concerned that the popular response may reflect factors unrelated to the actual protection of breach victims,” House Energy and Finance Committee Reps Frank Pallone, Jr., (D-NJ), Diana DeGette (D-CO), and Jan Schakowsky (D-IL) wrote in a letter to the Government Accountability Office. “Reliance on these products after the breach may result in consumers being lulled into a false sense of security.” They requested GAO examine how effective current strategies work for various types of breaches, the extent of the protection each one offers, and the factors agencies weigh in choosing a response to a breach. Lawmakers also would like GAO to see if there are better solutions not currently being offered.